The Reception
by ceirdwenfc
Summary: Charlie Weasley and Lavender Brown attend separately Ron and Hermione's wedding.


"I can't do this if you won't be still."

"Ow!"

"I've already told you once. Now, be still!"

"Listen, woman –"

"No, you listen. You wanted this done quick. You wanted this done now. How do you expect me –"

"I expect you to do what I asked."

"We're in this cramped, tiny broomshed. Ron is getting married at the other end of the garden. You're face is pressed into my –"

"Yes, and they're lovely."

"Shut it, Weasley," she said, pointing her wand at his head. "I can't do this if you won't be still."

"How still?"

"Very still. Are you ready for me now?"

"I am," he said slowly.

Lavender grabbed a handful of Charlie's short hair and tugged. His neck snapped back. "Did I tell you to sit still?"

"You did, but you –"

"Don't tell me what I did. Be still." She tugged on his hair, and waved the wand with her other hand, incanting the spell to lengthen his hair so he didn't look so much like a chipmunk. When she finished, she stepped back to admire her handiwork. Unfortunately, she backed into the door, which they hadn't locked properly, and she fell arse over teakettle, her skirts up around her waist, flat on her back, peering up into the stunned face of Professor McGonagall, whose eyebrows rose only further when Charlie exited the broomshed, adjusting his clothing.

The Professor said nothing, turning and walking back to the reception area.

***** A Short Time Later*****

Lavender sat at the large round table, watching the newest Mr. and Mrs. Weasley dancing their first dance together. Ron and Hermione.

She never expected to be attending _this_ wedding.

Lavender put her head down as Headmistress McGonagall glanced at her, catching her eye briefly. She felt her face turn a deep shade of pink, and while it _was_ her favorite color, less so since fifth year, it still wasn't what she wanted on her face.

"Drink?"

She raised her chin to look into the deep blue eyes of Charlie Weasley, his hair neatly combed into place, each hand holding a champagne flute. She smiled and reached out, pulling her hand back just as quickly when she caught sight of the unbecoming scars that peeked out from her robe sleeve. Her face grew warm, and she took the glass with her other hand.

Charlie sat in the empty chair next to her and sipped from his glass. When he was finished, he summoned another, but only one. She had barely touched her own.

"Not thirsty? Or not celebrating?" She glanced at him sharply. "You don't still have a thing for my brother, do you Lavender?"

She scowled at Charlie. How could he be so unobservant? "I'm very happy for Ron. And Hermione," she added hastily.

Charlie grinned.

"I really am happy for them. Ron and I never would have worked out. It's just as well anyway, considering."

"Considering what?" Charlie's eyebrows furrowed together, his confusion evident.

"Don't be daft. Look at me."

As he stared at her, she saw his eyes moving over her face and down her neck, and she couldn't help but look away. Her eyes only returned to his when she felt a gentle finger on her chin bringing her face to look at him again. "What is it that I'm supposed to be seeing besides a beautiful witch with beautiful…eyes?"

The pause as his eye lingered on her breasts made her roll those _beautiful_ eyes and shake her head, if only barely. "You see the same thing that I see when I look in the mirror. Greyback."

"Who?"

"Don't be funny. It's not funny."

Charlie shook his head and Summoned two more glasses of champagne. The music had picked up a bit and more couples were on the dance floor. Lavender sipped from the new glass, and looked longingly at the others enjoying the warm sunshine and bright blue sky in the arms of their dates. She could feel tears forming in the corners of her eyes, but was trying desperately not to let them fall. She turned back to Charlie when she felt his hand on her face again.

His finger was running down the one long scar next to her ear and then the next one on her neck. He let his finger stop at the collar of her robes even though the scar continued underneath. His eyes met hers. "How far down does it go?"

She smirked at him, tilting her head. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

"Yes, actually, I would." His lips curved up into the beginning of a smile. He took his finger away, and surprised her by removing his waistcoat and beginning to unbutton his shirt. She grabbed his hands, looking around and hissing at him, "What are you doing?"

"I want to show you something."

"I don't want to see it," thinking that she, in fact did want to see it and if he wanted to continue on to undo his trousers, she didn't think she'd be so vocal about objecting. He pulled aside his shirt and when she saw it, she instinctively put her hand out to touch his chest.

Across one side was a scar – it had been a very deep, probably life- threatening gash. It must have been very scary. The scar was jagged, so that whatever had done it had fought Charlie hard. She did reach out and ran her hand over the now-healed, but still-textured and white lines that criss-crossed one side of him. "What did that to you?"

"A dragon. A very big dragon."

"Why couldn't they heal it?"

"Dragon was cursed. His talons were poisonous. I was lucky to have survived."

"You were."

"So were you."

Her lips pursed together. "It's different, Charlie. You're the big brave dragon wrangler, who got hurt doing his very dangerous job. I know what people think of me. I'm easy and I used to be pretty and now I'd be lucky to shag a garden gnome."

Charlie opened his mouth to speak, but flicked his wand in the direction of said garden gnome heading in their direction. When he saw Charlie's wand come up again, he scampered off the other way. "You were hurt in the battle. You were brave. You're a hero, Lavender, fighting back the way you did. You're very pretty, Lavender. You're not easy, either."

"Look at me, Charlie," she insisted. "I'm not pretty –"

"No. You're lovely. Beautiful, in fact. You take my breath away. And if you were so easy," he added, "Then how did you manage to escape me in the broomshed?"

Her eyes widened in shock. "How did I manage to _what_?"

"I had you all alone in the broomshed earlier, and you left. Do you know how difficult it was to convince Bill to cut my hair so short just so I could get you to lengthen it?"

"What?!" Her mouth opened and closed like a fish caught on the edge of a beach. "You did that to yourself on purpose? You looked ridiculous!"

"I did, didn't I? You were supposed to save the day – fixing my hair, you were. You were supposed to fix my hair and then have a quick shag before the ceremony."

"I was…what?! You're a real git, Charlie Weasley! Do you know that?" Her voice was getting louder, and she did see some of the other guests look in their direction. Charlie had already buttoned up his shirt and was sliding his arms back through his waistcoat. "I've a good mind –"

"To what, Lavender? Run off crying the rest of your life? Or snog me like mad until the end of this bloody reception. Or let me take you upstairs right now to my old bedroom and shag you senseless? When _was_ the last time you had a good shagging?"

Lavender quickly stood up, knocking over her chair in the process. She had just lifted her hand to slap him hard across the face when he grabbed her arm and pulled her to him. He held her against him, her chest rising and falling against his and she looked at him, not knowing if she would pull away or spit in his face. He held her firmly and when he began to stroke her back, gently in even circles in time with the music, she melted against him. When he brought his head closer and his lips brushed hers, she sighed. She hadn't realized that the hand he wasn't grasping had moved to his back and she smiled when he did as she gave his bum a forceful squeeze. His reaction was to involuntarily push his hips into her, which caused her to sigh deeply, and it was then that his lips finished their preparations and kissed her.

The softness of his lips made her want them more and she tried to get closer to him. When their kiss finally ended, they were both smiling.

"You _are_ beautiful, Lavender. The scars are part of who you are. Anyone who can't see that is a fool. And I'm a lot of things, but I'm no fool. Beautiful, brave, not easy Lavender."

He kissed her again and again as he led her to the dance floor. The music slowed and they swayed in each other's arms. "You've fixed my hair," he said with a kiss. "And you're kissing me," he added with another kiss, this one on her ear, and then he whispered, "You have saved the day, Lavender."

"No, Charlie," she began before giving him a long kiss, her finger twirling through his hair, tapping his ear for a moment. "You're the one who saved the day, Charlie."

The music played on, but she barely heard it.


End file.
